Birth of Parents
by kamiikiteiru
Summary: My take on what was going on in Aeryn and John's head during the birth scene in PKW
1. Birth of a Mother

"You are in the fountain." John leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her. She groaned as he helped her off of the ground. He tried to lift her over the fountain wall, but her hands immediately let go of him and grasped the side of the fountain, breathing heavily. She pushed against it, letting her hands exert force on something if it couldn't be a gun. She bent forward and cried out as the pain climaxed. She was being ripped apart. Her body was not in her control as it fought against her. Her own muscles tightened and sent her in the throws of agony. She wasn't really paying attention to John as he quickly jumped into the fountain. He put his hands out to help her, but she shook her head no. He would have to wait. The pain was too much and she felt unable to move until the pain began to die down.

"Come on, baby." She put her arms around his neck and let him lift her over the wall. He sat her down on the side, but she suddenly couldn't sit. When just a moment ago she didn't want to move, now the thought of being still was unbearable. She had to move and she had to move now. She pushed away from him and ran across the fountain. She suddenly felt claustrophobic as her body was screaming for her to keep moving with the pain, but the fountain was too small. There was no where to go. She felt herself tense up and cry out as the next wave began. Her hands, needing something...anything to do at the moment, flailed through the air before resting on her tight abdomen. John tried to grab onto her, but she turned back to the side and held onto it. She slightly squated down as her body involuntarily began to push. Cholak, it felt good. She feels John's arms wrap around her waist and his hands search around her belt.

"What are you doing?" She bent forward and pushed hard against the wall and if it wasn't for the pain she would be slightly annoyed at his wandering hands. She felt him release her belt and she's thankful, feeling one less constriction on her laboring body.

"Alright. Hold still." He places her belt on the side of the fountain. As her muscles tighten again she pushes against the wall as hard she can. He quickly grabs hold of her, making sure she doesn't fall backwards, which isn't her biggest concern at the moment. She just wants something to push against. Anything to keep her from giving in to the overwhelming pressure inside her, but her body is beginning to take over. She grunts through her teeth as she involuntarily pushes again.

"All right, Aeryn. We have to get ready." He pulled D'Argo's knife out and puts it out for her to take. She takes it willingly; relieved he has given her a way to end this.

"Great. I'll cut it out." She turns the knife to cut into herself, but he quickly stops her with his free hand. His other hand is wrapped around her abdomen as he tries to hold her up.

"No! It's for your clothes and for the cord."

"Oh...right." She's a little disappointed he had not meant what she had had in mind. She just wanted this to be over. He takes a step back, still supporting her as she bends forward and cuts the crotch of her pants open. Again this feels better than she thought. The pressure lessens a bit as she can stretch her legs apart and let herself open up more. She leans back into him and hands him the knife. Her breathing is heavy as she tries to catch her breath between waves, but there isn't enough time. Another contraction hits her and her need to hold onto something brings her back to the wall. John pulls her away. The pain is too much and she lets him lead her to the other side.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy, easy." He has to half carry her over as she clutches her stomach. She wants to do anything but stand and walk, but she wasn't going to fight with him. At this moment all that exists are her and the tight muscles in her abdomen. She immediately latches back onto the wall. He presses against her back, one arm around her midriff and the other supporting himself.

"Alright. Breathe with me. Inhale. Exhale. Does anybody have a plan that doesn't involve the word surrender?" She ignores whoever answers. She's concentrating. Putting all her thoughts and efforts into breathing. Inhale. Exhale. She takes in deep breaths. It doesn't take away the pain, but it does help take her mind away a little.

"Alright. Exhale. With me, with me. Inhale." She can feel him trying to keep her as upright as possible, but all her body wants to do is squat. Her hands begin to tremble as she feels the child lower inside her. She's afraid. She's never been more afraid in her life. She can feel her body guiding the child out and as much as she wants this to end, she's trying not to help it. She doesn't want to push. She's too scared. Frightened of what happens after this child comes. Being a soldier taught her everything. How to act, how to feel, how to react was all part of a plan Peacekeeperes had lived by. But this was different. She had not been taught this. She had not been prepared. She didn't know what to do and how to react. All she knew was her body was forcing her to bring this child into the world now.

"Aeryn, face me. Come on, baby." She slowly turns so that she is facing him. Her hands grasp his shoulders and he brings himself between her legs so he is very close. She's grunting again, trying to hold back what she cannot stop. An explosion causes the entire chamber to shake and she pulls him into her, holding onto him as tight as she can. He holds her as there is another explosion. She pulls back and lets out a tiny cry as she gives in slightly and bears down. She feels John's hand softly touch her perineum. She can see the realization on his face. It's time. She can't hold it back any longer and he knows it.

"Okay, I think it's time to push." He doesn't know she already is. The urge is too strong and she lets herself bear down lightly. But he wants her to let go completely.

"I can't!" He doesn't understand. She can't do this. She's not ready for this. Even through the pain she isn't ready. Fear is holding her back. She knows the child is ready. She can feel it slowly moving out of her toward life, but she wants to hold it in. She just isn't ready.

"You can! You can! Push!" Suddenly she can't control it any longer. The urge is too strong and she lets herself listen to John. She rises up a bit before bearing down as hard as she can. She cries out through clenched teeth, her hands squeezing his shoulders. She can really feel the child lower now and that scares her even more. This is happening and she can't do anything about that. Even with John right there with her, she feels alone.

"I feel like I'm frelling helpless!"

"You're not helpless. I'm here. Come on push!" She bears down again and cries out. Her body tenses as she feels herself stretch as the child presses against her opening. Suddenly she has to stop. She doesn't have long before this child will be out of her and the thought crosses her mind that she doesn't want it to be born before her and John are married.

"Oh-h-oh wait!"

"What?"

"Stark!"

"Stark?" He looks at her, questioning what she was doing. He was going to question her now?

"Stark!"

"Stark!" John doesn't take his eyes off of her as Stark climbs into the fountain.

"Come here." She motions for him to come.

"Do you want me to take your pain?" Actually, she hadn't thought of that and the answer would be yes, except they don't have time. She can feel her body is still lightly pushing and they only have a little time left. As much as her muscles are screaming for an end to this, she chooses marriage over relief.

"No. I want you to marry us."

"What?" John and Stark say it together. She wants to yell at them not to question her when what feels like a very large being is coming out between her legs.

"Now." Don't question. Just do it!

"No, Aeryn. We can go to Vegas tomorrow." She doesn't know where Vegas is or why he wants to go, but she ignores him. Another pain hits and she is suddenly very frustrated with the both of them.

"Now!" Hope they got that message because she was about to hit them both if they didn't start to listen to her.

"Marry us!" Finally he listens!

"Wait, wait, wait." Rygel? What the frell does he want? She doesn't have time for this.

"What?" Her and John say it at the same time. She breathes heavily and watches as he vomits in his own hand. Oh for the love of Cholak, did they not realize she was giving birth! She throws her head back with another contraction. She was losing patience with the three males who seemed not understand she didn't have all day.

"Ah, here." Rygel holds something out and Stark takes it. John is rubbing her shoulder and concentrating on her and she is concentrating on keeping this child within her until they are married.

"It was with the crystals. I kept it moist for you." Stark lays the object into John's hand.

"It's my mom's ring."

"That's wonderful!" She didn't mean to sound so sarcastic. She was happy they had the ring back, but she wished they would focus on her and not the small piece of metal.

"You didn't think I'd go back into that cold ocean for nothing?" She cries out again and balls her hands into fists. The pressure to push is unbearable, she has a head coming out of her and Rygel wants to talk? Before she can yell at him to go away there is another explosion. John pulls into her, covering her, protecting her.

"Quick-ly." She needs to push. Frell, does she need to push.

"Come on!" John yells at Stark. Stark begins to say something in another language. She's only half listening as she tries to concentrate on him and not pushing.

"Idiot! That's a Shayan prayer for the dead." D'Argo yells out.

"What?!" She looks straight at Stark, who looks away confused, and she loses it for a moment. She smacks him hard. She does not have the time or patience for this right now. The contractions are right on top of each other and her body is tiring from the process. She cries out again and throws her head back.

"Whoa, whoa." John tires to calm her. It does a little. She needs him there and she needs to hear him, but it doesn't really matter what he is saying. Stark begins to speak again and he smiles as he thinks he has it this time.

"Delvian puberty right." Chiana tells them. She smacks Stark again.

"Okay, okay. Do you two love each other?" Stark asks.

"Yes!" They cry out together.

"Enough to be married forever?"

"Yes!" They say again.

"Then you are. Congratulations." John places the ring on her finger.

"Thank you." She can't describe the relief she feels. Whether it's over finally being married to John or finally feeling ready to bring this child forth, she doesn't know. He pulls her into him and kisses her deeply until another pain interrupts. There is another explosion and she hears Stark yell Rygel's name. He leaves her and John alone. John is trying to pull from her, but she grabs his shoulder and keeps him close. The contraction is easing and she doesn't feel the need to push as she does in the middle of the pain. She grabs a piece of his vest in her fist. She feels his hand again on her perineum as he feels the head. He pulls away from her and she lets go unwillingly, understanding as much as she needs to hold him, he has to catch the child. She feels the beginning of the next pain and gives three small cries as she breathes out. He brings his hand out of the water and gently rubs her arm.

"Just one more time!" And with that she lets herself go. She bears down harder and stronger. Her head flies back and she almost doesn't recognize herself as she screams. It's burning and she feels like she is being ripped in half.

"Oh!" John also seems startled by her vocalizing. His hand moves back under the water and he lightly supports her opening as the head eases out. She pulls herself back forward, but as his other hand leaves her to help the child out she throws her head back again with a new scream.

"Now push! Push, push, push, push, push, push...push!" She is. She's pushing with everything within her, feeling the child leaving her. She isn't afraid anymore. She doesn't know if it's just John, who has always been her strength, or just the pain overtaking any other emotion she might have at the moment. She lets out a small cry as she feels the head leave her.

"It's the head." John whispers, more to himself than to her. She bears down again. The child is moving a bit quicker now. Another large part passes through her.

"Oh fantastic." She gives one more hard push and cries out in relief as she feels the child slip out. She hears a small cry between her own tired noises, but her eyes are closed. She opens them and looks upon her child for the first time.

"Wow." John whispers. He picks up the knife and cuts the cord. Her last physical bond between the child and her. She picks up the robe as John is mesmerized at the sight in his arms. He looks at her for a brief instant before helping her wrap the baby. She's still breathing heavily as he places it in her arms. She stares down at it. This is it. This was what was inside her this entire time. The stasis, the preganacy. It had wielded this small life. She feels every emotion fade away as another awakens within her. Love. This little being, this life. There is no fear. There is no more pain. Just love.

"We have a son." John informs her. She laughs lightly. She hadn't even noticed. A boy. They had a son. John laughs as well. She can see the excitement on his face. He has waited just as long for this.

"We have a son!" She takes her eyes off of her child and looks at John. Just holding this life that he has given her breathes new life into her love for him. They had created a life and she suddenly loves this man more than she thought was ever possible. Her husband, the father of her child.

"We did it." They had brought him into the world. And now he was theirs, in her arms.

"I love you." He whispers to her.

"I love you too." She smiles. All the love and joy of this moment overtakes her and she smiles. He kisses her deeply as one hand rests on their son and the other on her cheek. Another explosion rings out, but hey don't notice. The moment is too great with her child in her arms and John kissing her. Another explosion and she pulls back a bit.

"Hey." He pulls her hair from her face.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"You name it?" Both his hands are on her know.

"Can you get us out of here?" As mush as she doesn't want this moment to end, the explosions remind her of the battle. They need to get their son out of this.

"Done." He kisses her again. Their love overflowing into each other with a symbol of their love on her finger and the product of their love between them. She was a mother.


	2. Birth of a Father

I stand outside

This woman's work

This woman's world

Oooh, it's hard on the man

Now his part is over

Now starts the craft of the father

"You are in the fountain." He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her back. She let out a small groan as he picked her up. He moved to help her into the fountain, but she immediately let go and clasped onto the side. He quickly jumped in himself and turned to help her. He put out his arms, but she shook her head no. He stood a moment and watched her. Her entire body was tense with pain. Her breathing was deep and heavy. This was not his Aeryn. Not the strong woman he knew her as. She was scared and he knew it. Hell, he was too. This was not how he pictured all this happening. But when did anything in his life happen the way he had planned? As usual he had no choice. Aeryn was giving birth here. In a battle as guns fired around them. This would be where his child entered the world. Aeryn looked up at him to let him know the pain had passed and reached up to him.

"Come on, baby." He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into the water. He sat her down on the wall, but she quickly got up and ran to the other side, crying out. He put the supplies he had collected down and walked over to her. She was clutching her abdomen. It tore him apart to hear her. But he couldn't do anything. He couldn't help her. This was nature and he had nothing do with it. This was all Aeryn. Her job. Her first calling as a mother. As much as he hated it, he could only watch. He tried to grab her, to hold her still, but she ran to the wall and grabbed the side. He put his hands around her waist and found the latch to undo her belt.

"What are you doing?" She cried. She let out a grunt and lowered herself into a squatting position. He pulled her back up.

"All right. Hold still." He guided her away from the wall. She was still half squatting and he was supporting most of her weight.

"All right, Aeryn. We have to get ready." He pulled Dee's knife out and put it out in front of her. She took it from him and flipped it so it pointed downward.

"Great. I'll cut it out." Although that was his typical Aeryn, he quickly grabbed her arm knowing full well she would do it. She was conditioned to deal with pain, but this was different. He could feel her fear as he held her. She didn't want to do this. He didn't want her to. God, if he could take this from her. Give her something to help, he would trade anything. But this was not earth or some medical facility. All she had was him.

"No! It's for your clothes and for the cord." He moved back a bit to give her room.

"Oh...right." She spread her legs a little more and he heard the material rip apart as she cut it. She handed the knife back to him and immediately squatted with another pain. He tried to pull her up, but she wouldn't stand.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy, easy." He dragged her over to the other side where the supplies were. She latched onto the wall again and bent over as much as her extended abdomen would let her. Her breathing was still heavy.

"All right. Breathe with me. Inhale. Exhale. Does anybody have a plan that doesn't involve the word surrender?" He watched Aeryn, making sure she was breathing more deeply.

"Uh, there's absolutely no way we can stand another assault." He heard Braca answer. Damn. They were in trouble. They needed Moya. They needed more weapons. They needed more time. Aeryn gave out a small cry. They needed a damn doctor.

"Agreed. Let's go on the offensive. Bring me every weapon we have. I'm going to create a little diversion." D'Argo answered. He would have to thank his friend later for taking over. He couldn't do much at the moment. Aeryn needed him.

"All right. Exhale. With me, with me. Inhale." He was speaking to himself as well, as every time a contraction hit her, he found himself holding his breath. He had no idea what he was doing. He felt like he was just sputtering out words he had seen actors say in scenes like this on tv. A script. He felt so unprepared. What was he doing? He wasn't a doctor. _Oh, come on John, you played little league. You're the catcher. Catch. _Oh, jeez, he was worse off then he thought. He had just compared Aeryn to a baseball game and his child to a baseball.He suddenly wished he had taken Susan up on her offer when she had invited him to Bobby's birth.

"Aeryn face me. Come on, baby." He put his hands on her shoulders as she turned to face him. Her hands grasped his shoulders and squeezed. He kneeled between her legs, getting closer to her. She was grunting and he suddenly realized she was trying not to push. Oh, God. He put his hand between her legs and lightly touched her perineum. And there it was. Between the folds of her was the soft bump of his child's head. He almost wanted to cry out as emotion overtook him. He was touching his child's head. The beauty of the moment suddenly hit him. Through the pain, through the rhythmic dance Aeryn's body was putting her through their child was going to be born. He had heard his brother-in-law say once that you can't explain this moment. You can only experience it. He had been right. John was at a loss for words. He just stared at Aeryn, her eyes closed as she struggled with the pain. God, he loved her. She was bringing a life into their world. A life they had wielded. He wanted to kiss her. To take her in his arms and comfort her with the knowledge and joy of this moment. They were having a baby.

"Okay, I think it's time to push."

"I can't!" She cried out, tired and scared. _Oh, baby, yes you can. You can do anything._

"You can! You can! Push!" He encouraged her. He held onto her as she bore down, eyes closed and clenched teeth. Her cries were foreign to him. He had never seen her like this. Despite his excitement he had never been more worried or scared in his life. What if something else goes wrong with the baby? Or Aeryn? What if he can't help? He wouldn't let her know he was worried or had no idea what he was doing. The last thing she needed right now was a him to lose it.

"I feel like I'm frelling helpless." She cried through her teeth. _Me too, sweetheart. _

"Your not helpless. I'm here. Come on push!" He didn't know how he could sound so calm, when it was taking every effort he had to keep his hands from shaking.

"Oh-h-h wait!" She stops bearing down and her grip on his shoulders slightly loosens. _Wait? Wait for what? There was only one thing on his mind right now and that was what was coming out between her legs. How she could be thinking about anything eles was beyond him._

"What?" He looked into her eyes with uncertainty.

"Stark!"

"Stark?" _Stark? What in the world was she doing? He shouldn't need to remind her they had other pressing matters than Stark._

"Stark!" She screams out again.

"Stark!" _Don't ask questions John, she's the one giving birth._

"Come here." She motions for Stark to come closer.He doesn't take his eyes off her as he hears Stark come up behind them.

"Do you want me to take your pain?" Stark asks her. _Oh great idea! _

"No. I want you to marry us." _Oh, bad idea!_

"What?" Stark and him say a the same time.

"Now." She tells them. She wanted to get married now? Now? A kid was coming out of her, her contractions were right on top of each other and she wanted to get married. He loved the woman, but he had to question her sanity at the moment. _Must be the pain._

"No, Aeryn. We can go to Vegas tomorrow."

"Now!" She screams as another pain climaxes within her.

"Marry us!" He gives in, she may be crazy, but he really couldn't fight with her now.

"Wait, wait, wait." He hears Rygel say. _You have got to be kidding him! His child was being born and Aeryn wanted to get married. And now Rygel wants to join the fun. This was just frelling perfect._

"What?" Aeryn and him say together. He glances to his side irratibly. _We don't have time for this Sparky._

"Ah, here." Rygel holds something out and Stark takes it. He isn't really paying attention. He's rubbing her shoulder and concentrating on Aeryn as she breathes through a pain.

"It was with the crystals. I kept it moist for you." Stark lays the object into his hand and for a split second he can't believe what he was looking at..

"It's my mom's ring." _Sparky, you sentimental slug. _

"That's wonderful!" Aeryn cries sarcastically. He couldn't blame her, Could he really expect her to be as excited about a ring now?

"You didn't think I'd go back into that cold ocean for nothing?" Rygel explained. Aeryn cried out again and squeezed his shoulders.

"Quick-ly." She was pleading with them to hurry.

"Come on!" He yelled at Stark. Stark began to say something in another language. John turned his attention back to Aeryn since he couldn't understand Stark anyway. Whatever he was saying was apparently not translatable into English.

"Idiot! That's a Shayang prayer for the dead." D'Argo yelled out.

"What?!" Aeryn looks straight at Stark, horrified. She smacked Stark hard and he had to move out of the way to not get hit himself. She cried out again and threw her head back with the new wave of pain.

"Whoa, whoa." He tries to calm her as he holds her arms. Stark begins to speak again. This time a new language, but he still can't understand.

"Delvian puberty right." Chiana tells them. He moves again as Aeryn smacks Stark a second time.

"Okay, okay. Do you two love each other?" Stark asks.

"Yes!" They cry out together.

"Enough to be married forever?"

"Yes!" They say again.

"Then you are. Congratulations." He places his mother's ring on her finger. It's an unbelievable moment. They're married. Aeryn is his wife.

"Thank you." She whispers. He smiles at her briefly before kissing her, sealing their union. A pain interrupts and she pulls away a little to yell out as she holds him tightly to her. There is another explosion and Stark yell Rygel's name. Stark leaves them alone, attending to whatever is going on with Rygel. He tries to pull from her, realizing that their family was about to grow, but she grabs his shoulder and keeps him close. He slips one hand between her legs to check her progress and immediately pulls away. They have no time. The head is half out. This is it. Oh, God this is it. His begins to feel clammy and his hands shake a little. He takes in deep breaths. Here they go. Both of them. Aeryn struggling to give life and him on the receiving end. Suddenly everything seems to disappear. No one exists except for him and her. He can't hear anything besides her breathing and his own rapid heartbeat. Time seems to slow down slightly as she becomes his only reality. He watches silently unable to speak for the moment as he realizes a pain is beginning. She's about to push a part of him out of her. She takes in three deep breaths and cries as she exhales with each. Both hands are holding her, helping her as much as he can for what is to come. He finally finds his voice to encourage her.

"Just one more time!" He tells her. _Come on, baby. You can do this._ And with that she lets herself go. She bears down hard. Her head flies back and she screams

"Oh!" He is startled by her outburst. His hand moves back under the water and he lightly supports her opening as the head eases out. She pulls herself back forward, but as his other hand leaves her to help support the head she throws her head back again with a new scream.

"Now push! Push, push, push, push, push, push...push!" She's pushing with everything within her. He knows because his child is sliding out faster than before. Sliding out of its mother. He doesn't need to do anything. Aeryn is doing it all as the head slips out.

"It's the head." He tells her. _Almost done, babe. _ She bears down again. Suddenly it's going so fast. The shoulders are out.

"Oh fantastic." She gives one more hard push and it's done. His child slips easily from her. She cries out in relief in front of him, but his attention is on what he has just pulled from the water. It lets out a small cry as it leaves the water and comes into the cold air.

"Wow." He whispers. It's almost hard to breathe. He's holding his child. He's overcome with wonder at this small life that has been given to him. He picks up the knife and cuts the cord, but his eyes don't look away from his arms. Aeryn picks up the robe he had collected and they both wrap their miracle in it. He looks at her for a brief instant, his wife as she looks upon the love they created within her. He places the small bundle into her arms and smiles at the amazement on her own face. He's witnessing the soldier in her melt into a mother.

"We have a son." He informs her. She laughs lightly. He studies her for a moment. _You've given me a son. Look what we did, babe. _They had a son. He laughs as well. This was a long moment coming for him and no words can ever express the love he feels for the two in front in him right now.

"We have a son!" He cries out again. Not to anyone in particular, just out of sheer joy.

"We did it." She whispers. _No Aeryn, you did it. _He is so proud of her right now and amazed at the same time. What she just did is unbelievable. A natural part of life she has allowed him to experience with her. She's beyond amazing and he will love her more for what she has done today. Not just the labor. She has birthed this family. She is his wife and their life is now one and then she gave him the most precious gift she could ever give him.

"I love you." He whispers to her.

"I love you too." She smiles, that beautiful smile that makes him fall every time. He kisses her deeply as one hand rests on their son and the other on her cheek. Another explosion rings out, but they don't notice. The moment is too great with their child in her arms. Another explosion and she pulls back a bit.

"Hey." She looks into his eyes and he brushes her hair out of her face.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"You name it?" Both his hands are on her now. He would do anything for her. All she needed to do was ask.

"Can you get us out of here?" She's right. They have to move.

"Done." He kisses her again. Life. Their life togther and the life between them. Breathtaking. This is their beginning. Husband, wife and son. He is a father.


End file.
